Dunnellon PD arrests two on drug charges; biggest bust in agency's history

Published: Tuesday, September 24, 2013 at 4:42 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, September 24, 2013 at 4:42 p.m.

DUNNELLON — Dunnellon police officers have reported that on Monday night they seized marijuana, an assortment of pills, methamphetamine and psilocybin mushrooms in the biggest drug bust in the department's history. Two men were arrested.

Stefano Albert Squartino, 21, of Dunnellon, and Marcelo Mesa, 20, of Ocala, were taken into custody shortly before 11 p.m. following a traffic stop in Dunnellon. The two were taken to the Citrus County Detention Center.

Squartino is charged with possession of a controlled substance and driving while license suspended or revoked. He is being held on $5,500 bond. Mesa was charged with six offenses, including possession of a controlled substance and possession of scheduled I, II or III drugs with intent to sell/manufacture/deliver. His bond on the six charges totals $80,000.

Deputy Michael Anger was conducting routine traffic enforcement in the 11900 block of North Williams Street when he saw a 2004 white Dodge pull out of the Circle K parking lot. The driver — Squartino — failed to use a turn signal. Anger stopped the car at North Florida Avenue and North Lockport Lane.

The officer ran a check on Squartino's driver's license and discovered it was suspended. The officer detected an odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle and asked Squartino about it. Squartino told the officer there was cannabis in the car, according to the arrest report.

Both men were detained, and Anger and another officer searched the vehicle and found the drugs, which were inside a black backpack and a Kentucky Fried Chicken box that contained a glass jar. Inside the jar were loose pills and meth.

Squartino said he dropped Mesa off at a Citrus Springs residence and that when Mesa returned to the car, he had the glass jar. He claimed Mesa was selling meth in Citrus and Marion counties, according to the report.

Mesa told the officer he didn't know anything about any drugs, the report noted.

"We're just glad to get these drugs off the streets so they won't get into the hands of our children," Dunnellon Police Chief Joanne Black said.

Black said small towns like Dunnellon — six square miles in size, with a population of around 1,800 people and nine sworn officers, including the chief — have drugs, but the important thing is to find them and eradicate them.

<p>DUNNELLON — Dunnellon police officers have reported that on Monday night they seized marijuana, an assortment of pills, methamphetamine and psilocybin mushrooms in the biggest drug bust in the department's history. Two men were arrested.</p><p>Officials said they recovered 154.8 grams of marijuana, 10.2 grams of methamphetamine, eight grams of psilocybin mushrooms, 37 morphine pills, four Xanax pills and three hydrocodone pills.</p><p>Stefano Albert Squartino, 21, of Dunnellon, and Marcelo Mesa, 20, of Ocala, were taken into custody shortly before 11 p.m. following a traffic stop in Dunnellon. The two were taken to the Citrus County Detention Center.</p><p>Squartino is charged with possession of a controlled substance and driving while license suspended or revoked. He is being held on $5,500 bond. Mesa was charged with six offenses, including possession of a controlled substance and possession of scheduled I, II or III drugs with intent to sell/manufacture/deliver. His bond on the six charges totals $80,000.</p><p>Deputy Michael Anger was conducting routine traffic enforcement in the 11900 block of North Williams Street when he saw a 2004 white Dodge pull out of the Circle K parking lot. The driver — Squartino — failed to use a turn signal. Anger stopped the car at North Florida Avenue and North Lockport Lane.</p><p>The officer ran a check on Squartino's driver's license and discovered it was suspended. The officer detected an odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle and asked Squartino about it. Squartino told the officer there was cannabis in the car, according to the arrest report.</p><p>Both men were detained, and Anger and another officer searched the vehicle and found the drugs, which were inside a black backpack and a Kentucky Fried Chicken box that contained a glass jar. Inside the jar were loose pills and meth.</p><p>Squartino said he dropped Mesa off at a Citrus Springs residence and that when Mesa returned to the car, he had the glass jar. He claimed Mesa was selling meth in Citrus and Marion counties, according to the report.</p><p>Mesa told the officer he didn't know anything about any drugs, the report noted.</p><p>"We're just glad to get these drugs off the streets so they won't get into the hands of our children," Dunnellon Police Chief Joanne Black said.</p><p>Black said small towns like Dunnellon — six square miles in size, with a population of around 1,800 people and nine sworn officers, including the chief — have drugs, but the important thing is to find them and eradicate them.</p><p>"We just want to protect our community," Black said.</p><p><i>Contact Austin L. Miller at 867-4118 or austin.miller@starbanner.com.</i></p>